Planned at Birth
by Lois Rose Lane
Summary: What would you do if your whole future was set in stone; your title, your responsibilities...your husband.   'I cordially invite you to the wedding of Emperor Clark Kal-El and Crown Princess Lois Lane'
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

History is a witness to many dynasties who have ruled with sword and blood. Since, the 19th Century countless invaders have ravaged and plundered the land making it their own but then came the El House. They made Krypton their home giving it love and respect. Founded by Seyg-El, the El legacy passed from Jor-El to his son Kal-El. Among all the El Emperors, Kal would achieve the greatest heights – Clark Kal-El. The first El Emperor to be born on Kryptonian soil...

And then there was Crown Princess Lois who was born in the neighbouring land of Metropolis. Daughter of Sovereign General Sam Lane and Queen Ella Lane and sister to both Princesses Lucy and Chloe.

Princess Chloe was adopted by the King and his wife following the demise of her parents and was looked on by the King as the daughter he had always wanted. Chloe's destiny was intertwined with Metropolis whereas Lois's would take her far from the Metropolis provinces.

However, the El dynasty had almost ended following King Jor-El and his wife's accidental death. Taking advantage of the situation General Zod seized the Smallville throne so a great battle ensued. On one side was General Zod with an army twice the size of the El army and on the other side was Lionel Luthor, Emperor Jor-El's loyal General who was training the twelve year old to take up his father's mantle...


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_12 years later _

'I remind you once again the future of the El Dynasty is in your hands. Until he breathed his last your father had only one dream and that was for you to rule over the land with your strength,' General Luthor explained keeping his voice level. 'So, remember what I taught you and **_kill _**him!'

Emperor Clark looked at the fallen King on his knees, silently awaiting his fate, his eyes never leaving the King's face Clark spoke, 'No, General Luthor. There's always a way, without needing to kill! We must preserve life at all costs and a King in our captivity is at our mercy.'

'Then we must agree to disagree, Your Majesty.' General Luthor walked menacingly towards the King his sword raised in preparation for the final blow.

However, a swift hand gripped his arm stopping the sword from descending. 'Enough, Lex!' Clark growled menacingly.

'Do not forget you are the future of the El Empire and that my father made you and this Empire what it is today from the first battle in Smallville and now you destroy it! You must follow your destiny.'

'I have seen rebellion clouding your sight, Lex. This is the first time I have stopped your sword. Do you know why? Because from now on I make my own decisions. Starting now I want wars to be avoided at all cost. I've seen enough pain and despair to last a lifetime. You want me to rule the world but I want to help people, save them from fear and darkness, show them humanity and compassion.' Clark walked towards the King who sat motionless, his eyes unreadable in the daylight but shock flitted briefly across his face when Clark placed both his hands on the King's shoulders and lifted Prince Bruce Wayne of Gotham gently upwards. Behind them, Lex looked on fuming.

_2 Months Later _

All of Metropolis was decked out in white on the day of the burial. The Royal Family in white mourning suits walked like ghosts after the funeral wagon. Lois gripped her skirts in her fists and concentrated on a single note of the flute player. She looked up at the white stone palace with its stretched out walls like wings and a single, high tower directly in front of her, like a swan, the bird of mourning. Lois took comfort in imagining that even the Palace was mourning the death of her mother. The General walked at the head of the family with Lucy trailing behind and Chloe, elegant and poised in her sorrow.

_'The people watch me, the future queen, I need to seem strong.' _Straightening up and stopping her tears Lois stood next to Chloe but only felt half-formed.

After the burial, the General spoke to the gathering of people reminding them of Queen Ella's beauty, kindness and the peace Metropolis endured while under her joint rule. In her mind's eye, Lois recalled things the King did not mention like how her smile always pulled stronger on the right side of her face or the dimples that occurred whenever she smiled or however much Lois tried and failed to live up to her father's expectations, her mother was always there to envelope her in her lavender scent at the end of a bad day.

'Do not fear this sad day. We will go on and I will continue to be your Sovereign and Keeper of the Realm. And in the distant day when you carry my body to this place my capable daughter Chloe will be ready to take up the sceptre and crown.' Shaking herself out of her reverie Lois looked up at her father, her mouth agape at the words that fell out of his mouth. Surely, she must have heard incorrectly. Chloe, Queen...It must be a mistake but a small voice in her head whispered _'No it's not, the General always means what he says but who are you now?'_

'Did you hear that, Lois? He must have made a mistake that's all.' Dinah whispered, concern showing in her normally impassive face.

Lois instead turned to Chloe, there was a trace of smugness in her smile and unlike Lois she did not look confused.


	3. Chapter 2

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_Any Reviews would be greatly appreciated - just so I know your thoughts on a paticular chapter and what you liked or didn't like. I'm kind of new at this so bear with me and any help would be great. Thank You and don't worry there is going to be a lot of Clois action soon!_

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_StoneInLove - Thank you for being the first reviewer for any fanfiction I have ever written! This is all so new to me and it's nice to know someone out there likes it. So, thank you again. :-)_

_Mpj891 - Thank you so much for saying you liked it and I'll try and keep updating on a regular basis. Some chapters will take longer then others - I just want to write to the best of my ability. x_

_Oceananmina101 - Thank you for the comment and I'm glad you liked it :-)_

_anacaro - Aahhh (slight panic attack). Let's take it one update at a time! Lol_

_aquarpisc - I hope you like this chapter as much as you enjoyed the first one. _

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_clarkfan325 - _I can't wait for their first meeting too!

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**Chapter 2**

The Metropolitans were taught the art of combat from childhood to protect their families and homes and Kingdom should the need ever arise. Among the warriors was Lady Dinah Lance otherwise known as the Black Canary. The Lance Family had served the Lanes for generations with a member of the Lance family being assigned to each new Lane at birth and Lady Dinah was linked to Lois. Dinah loved Lois like a sister and was at her side whenever she beckoned.

No one suspected who she was when she walked next to Lois in the funeral procession for whoever would suspect a handmaiden of incapacitating anyone who crossed her path...or Lois's.

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Lois breathed in deeply and stood outside her father's office rallying her nerve. Meanwhile, Dinah hid behind a marble pillar after dropping Lois outside her father's door, insisting that she talk to him after their interrogation of Chloe had not gone according to plan. Lois had run out of excuses to prolong this meeting and quickly rapped on the wooden door hoping her father was not inside.

No such luck. 'Enter,' said the King.

'Hi, Daddy,' Lois said hesitantly with the mantra _'It was just a mistake, it was just a mistake'_ going around and around her head. Taking a deep breath Lois started, what she knew was going to be a long conversation.

'I want to apologise for interrupting you, but I must ask about the comment you made a couple of weeks ago – you know, the one where you said Chloe is to be the next Queen.' As the words tumbled out of Lois's mouth she felt her confidence begin to increase and she allowed herself to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Sovereign General Sam Lane looked at his daughter and felt a pang in his chest, _'She looked so much like her mother'_. Unbeknownst to him a small smile crept on his face recalling a distant memory where Ella had once teased him...where Ella had once smiled. Clearing his throat and straightening himself up he looked at his eldest child straight in the eye and said 'Do you remember when you were six we received a visit from a General Lionel Luthor from Krypton.'

Lois nodded, unsure where this was going.

'It was not an idle visit….there were issues of land.' The General stood in front of the map on the wall and put his left hand, fingers spread, over the Smallville Mountains and the Great Forest that separated the two kingdoms. He looked down at his ring finger for a moment before speaking and said 'Krypton has always been a rich country well advanced beyond its years, maintaining their wealth through successful wars. Twelve years ago, the sovereign believed in uniting all the lands under one ruler and so General Luthor, in an attempt to avoid a war suggested in a peace treaty.'

'I don't understand, how does that involve Chloe becoming the new Crown Princess?' Lois breathed deeply trying to avoid getting angry at her father's random ramblings.

The General sat down and pressed his fingers against the corners of his eyes. When he finally looked up his face was lined with all the worries and problems that he had suffered over the years, with Queen Ella's death those lines deepened.'I have done what a King should do and what is best for Metropolis. If we did not comply to their treaty we would have had to watch that monstrous army pouring into this valley. Nearly a generation of our men were killed in the civil war. Our armies are insufficient. If a war is waged, our kingdom will be ruined. Thousands of women widowed, children orphaned.'

Sovereign General Sam Lane seemed to be talking to himself now, and his tone was near pleading. Lois felt dread begin to prickle her skin. Her father never pleaded. 'You are the Crown Princess. If it had to be one of my children, it should have been Lucy, I know. She is the third child, the third daughter, just the prize such an arrangement would require. But she was so young, and you-'

'What did you do, Dad?

'Did you not pass your eighteenth birthday during the morning period?'

Lois nodded.

The General took a deep breath and looked back at the map. 'It was fortunate, that Lionel wanted peace as much as I. In private council, we arranged your marriage to the Emperor of Krypton. After your eighteenth birthday.'

Lois stood, her chair scraping against the tile floor with a whine. The sound roused her, and she found that she could argue back. 'What? But, but you can't.'

'I do not want you to tell me that what I did was not fair. I know it is not fair.'

'But I am the Crown Princess. I am supposed to be the next Queen. The law says I am the next Queen.'

'Your motivation has always seemed to come more from pleasing me than desire. I imagined that you might even be relieved.'

'Do not pretend you are doing me a favour. You can't just take away who I am. Whether or not you think I...I am good enough to be Queen of Metropolis, that is what you have raised me to be, what I have worked all my life for.' Lois narrowed her eyes as realization burned her blood, and her voice softened with the pain of betrayal. 'It's not who you raised me to be, is it? All the lessons- it was all just a ruse.'

'You will still be Queen, Lois.'

Lois shook her head. 'You know it's not the same. It will not be my crown. It will not be my home. I'll be a stranger, the foreigner wife of their King.'

'You are understandably angry, but that will not change the promises I have made.' The General's eyes softened. 'Lois, it pains me to ask but if not for your father then for the sake of your people, for the province of Metropolis...you will have to sacrifice your happiness.'

Tears stung Lois's eyes and whispered, 'Did mom know?'

'No, she did not. Had she known, she would have felt like she needed to protect you. She didn't need the extra worries. She loved this Kingdom more then anything but she would not have been strong enough to do what is necessary... so if not for your people then for your mother. It was her dying wish for you to protect the people.'

Lois's heart constricted. 'I will go, but you already know that don't you?._' For mom_. Lois looked outside the window where the bare branches of a cherry tree crossed their view. 'I'll go.'

'I'm sorry, Lois.'

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**_Check out my other one-shot story - The Proposal. _**


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